Music Review – The Playing Favorites

The Playing Favorites are a group of five friends who have all made their rounds through different bands who you may or may not have heard of. The band consists of Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut), Luke Tierney (Penfifteen Club), Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult, Bad Astronaut, Popsicko), Mick Flowers (The Rentals, The Lapdancers, Popsicko) and Tim Cullen (Summercamp, Popsicko). Joey Cape will probably bring the most people to the table because of his work with Lagwagon and Bad Astronaut but listeners might be surprised by the strong peformances of the rest of the group. Perhaps that is why I Remember When I Was Pretty works so well…even though he is capable, Cape never has to carry the entire load.

I Remember When I Was Pretty was recorded in five days. The band learned, played and recorded three songs a day. Because of the rotating cast of musicians, I Remember When I Was Pretty is a remarkably diverse album. Songs range from crunchy rock to melody-laced pop to alt-country. The Playing Favorites certainly never limit their scope…anything truly goes here. Cullen and Tierney both contributed three songs, DeSantis two and Cape with six. The pleasant surprise here is Cullen whose three songs stand out as some of the best offerings on the album. Cullen has a knack for memorable pop songcraft. No surprise though, Joey Cape shines the brightest here. Fans of his work in Lagwagon and Bad Astronaut will have much to love here as well.

Recorded over the span of just five days, there is a simple honesty that emanates from I Remember When I Was Pretty. It’s the sound of five friends coming together to do what they love. That common trait between these give guys truly holds the album together despite its song-writing diversity. I Remember When I Was Pretty is a testament to friendship and the music that inspires it.